


Soul Stealers

by EquusofEquusNanashi



Category: The Dresden Files - All Media Types, The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher, Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: F/M, Harry meets Marcone's kids, M/M, Multi, soulless people, they may have magik
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-28
Updated: 2016-04-13
Packaged: 2018-05-16 18:32:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5836282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EquusofEquusNanashi/pseuds/EquusofEquusNanashi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry Dresden, Chicago's only Professional Wizard, has a new case.  Soulless people are popping up all over Chicago, and not even Dresden knows whats causing this.  To make matter worse.  The only suspects Dresden has are Gentleman Johnny Marcone's three children, and the Shadow Court they seem to be in awe of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I really don't know if this is going to go anywhere or not. It's been jingling around in my head for a while and finally was spat out. I hope to continue, but I don't know if I will. Please tell me what you think. I know what I want to do for the second chapter, but I don't know where to really go from there.

It wasn’t every day that Chicago’s Crime Lord met the only professional wizard of Chicago on the sidewalk outside of the CPD.  It also wasn’t every day that said professional wizard had all of his bills paid, had a good night sleep, and was not mortally wounded. 

So in other words, I had been having a fantastic day.  Until I stepped out of the SI department of the CPD and out onto the street, that is.

I stood in front of Gentlemen Johnny Marcone.  Behind the Crime Lord of the greater Chicago area stood Mr. Hendricks, who to this day I consider a pro-football reject, glaring at me from dark brooding eyes.

Around us the inhabitants of Chicago skittered past, more than one eyeing Marcone and me with hints of fear.  As if they were expecting us to draw arms at any moment and open fire.  Now I have to admit, the idea was tempting.  Very tempting.  However, I pushed down my urges to fire ball the smug bastard, and tried to have a civil conversation with Chicago’s number one Crime Lord.

Yeah, like that was going to happen.

“What do you want Marcone?”  I sharply asked, my temper already flaring.  This was the second time in as many days that Marcone had been lying in wait for me. And I was already tired of it.

Marcone merely smiled lightly at me, as a father might to a son.  “I wanted to offer you my help, Mr. Dresden.”

My eyes narrowed.  “You help?”  I asked.  “Why do I need your help?  What do you know about people in comas, Marcone?”  I wasn’t going to tell him the truth, that the people in comas where actually soulless.  That I didn’t know how it had happened, and I was upset that I had only just learned about this.

“I know nothing about people in comas,” Marcone stated.  “But I do know some things about what could have caused such situations to occur.”  He continued to smile benignly at me.  I really wanted to punch his face in at that moment.

I was just about to retort when a loud voice sounded near us.  I blinked in surprise as Marcone’s old money colored eyes widened minusculy and turned to face the direction of the voice.  It was only after I inventoried this slip up that the word that had been spoken registered. 

_Father._

I tried to keep my reactions to a minimum, but a darker than normal glare from Mr. Hendricks told me I had failed.  Smoothing my face into as passive an expression I could, I glanced in the same direction as Marcone.  I honestly didn’t expect what I saw.

There were three teenagers walking in our direction.  Two boys and a girl–all dressed in the same punk style clothing and colors, red, black, and gold–parted the crowd just like Moses parted the red sea.  People who weren’t even paying attention stepped out of the trio’s path.  The three of them had certain energy about them, one that made the hairs on my arms rise.  Even as it tickled my mind and I got the nagging feeling I had forgotten something important. 

Once the three where safely ensconced in our little circle, I finally got a good look at the three teens.  None of them looked like they belonged to Marcone. Each seemed to be from a different area of the world. 

The teen closest to me had a rich, almost sepia complexion, with sharp features, and the strangest hair style I had ever seen.  The kid’s hair was literally standing up on end.  A spiky mess of multicolored hair–it was of all things red, black and blond–with the blond bangs hanging around the kids face.  Making the kids already sharp face even more striking. 

The glance at his eyes I planned on making after cataloging all the leather he was wearing, however, was interrupted as Marcone started talking.  “Meilia, I thought you were in Minneapolis volunteering at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.”  It wasn’t a question.

The girl with wavy black hair cut in an asymmetrical bob, simply smiled at Marcone.  “We are Father; we just came down for the D.M. World Tournament.  It’s a weekend affair, and we should be back up north by next Tuesday at the latest.”

I will admit that I was impressed with the girls–Meilia’s–guts.  I don’t think I have ever before seen somebody that was unruffled after Marcone used that tone of voice. 

As I waited for Marcone to gave his reply I quickly looked the girl over.  She had ivory skin with a light, nearly not there, peppering of freckles.  Like the first kid, she was wearing leather pants and boots, but a black-lace seamed, studded yoke red-jacket adorned her modest bust.  A leather strap hung around her neck, but whatever was on it I couldn’t see, as it disappeared beneath her jacket. 

Looking up at her face I was startled by the brown-nearly black eyes that flicked away from mine.  In the process bringing my attention to the single earring she wore.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  Teenagers are allowed to wear what they want within reason.  It’s the time of their life when their trying to find out whom they really are.  But, the moment I saw that earring, I had to clamp down hard on all basic instincts and reactions.

It was a simple thing, gold curling around ebony and a red feather.  It looked innocent enough, but for those in the know, the earring was anything but.  It was a dark magikal artifact, one of the rarest and oldest known to wizard kind.  Made up of the feather of a demon–freely given I might add, the power of the nevernever, and a blood sacrifice, the earring was bad news.  There were only four such earrings in existence, and for a non-wizard of all people to have one, it was like waiting for a time bomb to go off.

 _Hells bells_ , I thought.  _This job just got a lot more complicated_.

“I see,” Marcone said lightly, and for once I couldn’t tell if he was pleased with that information or pretending to be.  But by the kid’s reactions, he seemed to not be faking.  “Where are you staying?  I have not been informed that you went to the house, so I assume you are staying elsewhere?’  Marcone’s old money green eyes held the three in their place, seemingly telling them not to lie to him.

The final kid, who didn’t seem to have gotten the memo that only people in their eighties and older where supposed to have white hair, and that much gold on a person looked gaudy, was the one to answer.  “We’re staying at The Drake,”  a small smirk crossed the kids face, “you have no idea how much fun it was when the staff found out that we were the ones who booked the Executive Suite.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I guess I was lucky that statement hadn’t been directed at me.  Marcone on the other hand simply sighed.  As if this was normal, and I was starting to get the sinking suspicion that it was.  “You could have called,” Marcone chastised in a fatherly tone.  “You didn’t need to book a room when you are welcome at home.”

“We were just stopping by for the weekend,” Meilia said softly.  “We didn’t want to distract you from any important business that might be happening.”  Her brown-black eyes darted in my direction, before returning to Marcone.

My mouth went dry. _Empty Night, these kids know what Marcone is!  Just who are they?_

It seemed as if some higher power heard my silent question, because Marcone suddenly turned to me.  The look in his eyes chilled me.  He was a man whose soul was that of a tiger, strong, savage and merciless without being cruel.  But at that moment his green eyes held a promise that if I ever revealed the information he was about to give me, if I ever went against these kids.  Gentleman Johnny Marcone would spend hours, days even, making me regret that decision before killing me in the slowest fashion he could.

Whoever these three teenagers where.  They were important to Marcone.  So important that I knew with dreaded certainty he had killed to keep them safe.   “Mr. Dresden, allow me to introduce my children, Horus, Set, and Meilia.”  The three kids nodded in my direction as Marcone said their names.  “Children,” Marcone continued, “meet Harry Blackstone Copperfeild Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard.”

I expected the kids to laugh, not to look at me as if I was a bug stuck under a microscope.  It was unsettling, and I finally got to get a good look at Set.  His white hair hung shaggily down to his shoulders.  He was tanner then Meilia, but not as rich in coloring as Horus.  His face held a little baby fat to it, giving him an innocent edge, or at least, it would have if his honey-brown eyes hadn’t held such cold calculation in them.  I glanced quickly down, noting the leather vest he was wearing over jeans and a red supernatural t-shirt, and the golden arm bands he wore. 

“Really?  It’s so hard now days to find real magikals.”  And that was the end of the kids interest in me.  They went right back to their discussion with Marcone.  Leaving me unsettled in ways I don’t think I have ever been.  These three teenagers knew about magik.  And possibly knew things no non-magikal human should.  Their reaction to hearing what I was, no one, not even fey reacted in such a way.  What where they?  Thoughts kept swirling through my head, so much so that I almost didn’t hear important information.

 “The King of Games will be there, and the entire Shadow Court along with him,” Set said.  “We didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see them duel.”

 _Shadow Court?_   I couldn’t help but think.  _Like the White Council? No, it couldn’t be._   But I knew I would have to look into it.  If there was another group of wizards that where creating a ruling body, I would have to inform the White Council.  But I could only do that after I had all the information.

Marcone’s kids finished talking to their ‘father’ and vanished into the crowd.  It was only after they were out of sight that I realized something that made my hands shake. 

Horus’s eyes where the color of blood.

Looking out into the sea of people around Marcone and I, I knew one thing.  I had to find out more about Marcone’s kids.  They weren’t normal.  No non-wizard would be able to wear that earring like Meilia was without going insane.  No teenager had such cold and calculating eyes like Set.  And no human had eyes the color of blood.

Once again I silently cursed.  As if I didn’t have enough on my plate with the souls that where being stolen all over town.  Now I had to do research on the children of Chicago’s Crime Lord.  This job just got far more complicated.


	2. Chapter 2

If there’s one thing wizards are, it’s being excessively inquisitive.  I don’t know if it’s a part of the genetic make-up of a wizard to be inquisitive about anything and everything.  Or if some ancient being cursed wizards to be forever curious.  After all, the word _wizard_ comes from the same root as the word _wise_.

In any case, I was quite curious about whatever it was that was stealing souls.  And don’t get me started on Marcone’s kids.  At least one of them wasn’t human.  Though, I wouldn’t put it past Marcone to have made a deal with some nasty from the nevernever and gained three new minions.

_Damn._  I thought. _When did I start calling Marcone’s men minions?_

With a shake of my head I opened the steel framed door of my basement apartment and stepped inside.  Around a year ago my home had been invaded by an acid spitting toad demon.  The demon destroyed most of my furniture and dissolved my old door as if it was nothing.   Let’s just say that my house is now far more warded then it has ever been.  Nothing is getting in or out without my say so.

But enough about what happened last April.

It is now the last full week of May.  The first month of the lighter half of the year would shortly be coming to a close.  And when it did the energies of life would merge with that of Mid-Summer, which was only twenty-six days away.

Puzzlement seemed to be my constant companion this spring.  I might have gotten more jobs done–and gained a little relief from my normal monetary worries–however, I was constantly questioning myself.  It was almost like I had forgotten something important.

Meeting Marcone’s kids had only doubled the feeling, and it dogged my steps home. 

I didn’t know how these souls were being stolen.  I didn’t know if Marcone and his kids were involved, but I did know who I could go to for answers.

My apartment is only two temperatures without a fire.  Cool.  Or freezing.  As I shrugged out of my leather duster I couldn’t help but sigh as the air cooled my skin.  The sun was out with a vengeance today and Marcone’s impromptu meeting hadn’t helped me stay out of the sun.  Not that I would be enjoying my cool apartment for long.

I set my blasting rod down on the old coffee table and started hunting for my robe. My apartment may be cool, but the subbasement that made up my lab didn’t seem to get the memo that it could be temperatures other then freezing.

At long last I found my robe crumpled up in the corner farthest from the trap door that led to my lab.  I had no idea why my robe was on the other side of the apartment, but I wouldn’t put it past Mister, my large grey cat, to have some part in it.  He hadn’t been too pleased with me the last few days.  Something to do with the steak I had shared with Susan instead of him.

I pulled on my robe, lit a candle, and wandered over to the trap door.  With a tug the trap door opened to reveal the steep stepladder.  I teetered down the stairs into the cheerful havoc that was my laboratory.  Tables lined the walls, covered in boxes and plastic sandwich bags full of graveyard dirt, spices, rare stones, bones, fur, and other oddments useful for making potions and the study of wizardry.

Once in the subbasement that made up my lab I lit a myriad of candles, lighting up the room with a golden glow.  The shadows seemed to slink away as I turned to light up the kerosene heater I keep down in the lab to fight the frigid temperature.

Up on one of the shelves two orange orbs of light began to glow within the eye sockets of an old human skull.  This was Bob, the wind spirit that angered a winter fey and made a deal for protection hundreds of years ago with another wizard.  Bob has seen just about everything and knows a great deal more.  Which makes him the perfect assistant in all things wizardly, and a great source of information for those who don’t want to do research on their own.

In this case, that would be me.

“I didn’t expect to see you down here for a few days,” Bob said.  “I thought you had a date with Susan.”

I located a pen and notebook as I replied.  “I did.  We went down to the conservatory and walked through the gardens.”

“So what happened?  You should be over at her place having hot sweaty–”

I cut Bob off before he could continue.  “Susan was called into work.  There was a reporter that got a little shaken up and her boss needed her to calm the reporter down.  It was a good thing too.”  I drifted off, thinking of my meeting with Murphy and then Marcone.  There was too much at stake here for me to talk to Bob about my love life.  I needed to know how somebody could steal a soul, without the White Council or Chicago’s warden finding out.

Bob seemed to pick up on my mood, for he allowed me to stew instead of poking for more information about my love life.  After a while however Bob got impatient.

“Harry,” Bob said.  “What’s on your mind if it isn’t Susan?  You wouldn’t be down here if it wasn’t something you deemed important.  Did you get another case?”

I started.  With a sigh I leaned back in my chair and looked up at Bob.  “Murphy called me into her office today.  There’s been a string of people ending up in comas lately, and she wanted my opinion of the matter.”

“So?”  Bob seemed bored of the subject already.  “Comas happen all the time.  There is rarely anything magikal about them.”

“Bob,” I said quietly.  “These weren’t just comas; these people had their soul taken from them.”

That got a reaction out of the wind spirit.  The orange orbs that made up Bob shrunk into tiny condensed pricks of light.  In a slightly shaky voice Bob asked.  “Their souls where taken?”

I had never seen Bob act this way before.  Sure, he had gotten scared if he caught the scent of winter magik.  But this kind of reaction from a spirit of knowledge made alarm bells go off inside my head.

I nodded my head before laying out the facts Murphy had given me.  It wasn’t much to go off of, but I hoped that it would calm Bob down long enough for me to get a straight answer out of the skull.

“So they all were found in their homes or places of work?”  Bob mused, still a little shaky.

“That’s right,” I said.  “A few of them where muttering really weird stuff, but no one was able to wake them up to get an answer out of them.  Murphy got the case when the latest victim’s house showed signs of having been broken into.”

Bob turned toward me then.  Scrutinizing me as if he was deciding if he really wanted to know the answer to the question he was about to ask.  “What kinds of things where they muttering about?”

It was my turn to look away.  A lot of what Murphy told me, and the one victim I had seen, didn’t make any sense.  However, one phrase had been repeated by every single victim.  It had been written out by some of them, spoken by others.  Yet it was always the same. 

I tried to say the words like I had heard them.  The words felt heavy on my tongue.  There seemed to be no vowels, but I managed to get them out without mangling them too much.

Bob didn’t say anything for a while; his eyes still tiny pin-pricks of light.  “Are you sure that’s what they said?”  He asked.

I nodded my head.

Bob sighed.  “That’s a very old language, and one of the most powerful magikal languages on the planet.”  I perked up at that, taking up my pen and notebook.  I was going to ask what it was when Bob continued.  “There is very little information you would learn now days about the magik of that civilization, the White Council made sure that it had destroyed everything it could get its hands on in that regard.  However, that is only outside of Egypt.”

“Egypt?”  I asked in surprise.  “That was Egyptian?”

“Ancient Egyptian,” Bob corrected.  “Demotic, if you want to be exact.  The language of the great god-kings.  Humans that were able to ascend to godhood and controlled a magik powerful enough to destroy the world if in the wrong hands.”  Bob seemed to raise an eyebrow as he continued.  “Didn’t you ever wonder how the Ancient Egyptian civilization remained one of the few stable ones throughout its entirety?  Their magik was far more powerful than anything we have today, and only a chosen few even gained the ability to wield it.”

I didn’t know what to say to that.  Ancient Egypt had been before the White Council’s creation, before the Seven Laws of Magik had been put into effect.  There had been civilizations before the White Councils creation that had been destroyed because of their use of black magik.  One of the very first things the White Council had done was destroy any records and artifacts that it deemed unlawful.  Entire branches of magik had been destroyed, lost in the sands of time to never be seen again. 

The world was a better place now that the White Council held control over what types of magik could be learnt.  However, even I didn’t think the destruction of many pre-White Council civilizations histories was worth it.  At least Ancient Egypt had been able to keep its magikal knowledge and history…wait, what?

“What do you mean the Council only destroyed everything regarding Ancient Egyptian magik outside of Egypt?”  I demanded from the wind spirit.

Bob shrugged, or at least I’m pretty sure that’s what he did.  “The White Council can’t enter Egypt and do anything nasty.  Such as destroy Egypt magikal history.  If the White Council ever did so it would be going against the Accords.”

“Egypt and whatever wizards are inside it are protected against the White Council?”  I couldn’t believe it.  That was not what I had expected when I had started questioning Bob.  Why was Egypt exempt from the White Councils control?  It didn’t make any sense.

The orange lights where the skulls eyes were supposed to be brightened.  “Oh, no.  The Mages of Egypt are protected against the White Council.  Wizards are not.”

“There’s a difference?”  I could feel my eyebrows rising.  Mages.  I had heard of sorcerers and sorceresses, wizards and wizardesses, but never a mage.  I had thought Mages where only really old powerful wizards.  It seems I was wrong.

“Mages use a different type of magik then wizards,” Bob said knowingly.  “In Egypt, during the time of the Pharaohs, most if not all of the priests where mages.  They were taught how to harness the energies of life just like any wizard.  However, it was the other magiks they learned that differentiated them from wizards.  Mages always have an affinity.  Most of the time they’re considered elementals by the White Council, but the Mages of Egypt are a different story.”  Bobs eyes glowed brighter, finally reaching their normal size.  “They’re the first in existence, and the power they wield was said to have been gifted to them by the gods themselves.  No one, not even other mages show them disrespect.  You could say that Egyptian Mages are royalty.  And as long as one mage of Egyptian decent lives, the White Council can’t do anything to Egypt.”

A thought suddenly came to me and I frowned.  “Bob, if this is a mage from Egypt stealing souls.  Would I be going against the Accords by stopping them?”

“This is most definitely an Egyptian Mage.”  Bob confirmed, not helping my fears at all. “As for whether or not you would be going against the Accords…it would depend on if the mage was breaking Egyptian law or not.”

“Egyptian law discusses magik?”  I muttered more to myself then to Bob. 

But he still heard me.  “Not Egyptian law, Harry.  _Egyptian Law_!  As in the laws put in place by the Pharaohs.  And there is only one Pharaoh that the mages defer to.”

“And that is?”

Bob looked at me, and I got the distinct feeling that he was pitying me.  “There is only one Pharaoh the mages of Egypt defer to.  The most powerful mage to ever walk the earth.  The one who sacrificed everything to save the world.  Harry,” Bob said.  “The Pharaoh of Shadows has returned to the mortal plain, and these soulless bodies are only the beginning.”

* * *

 

_At the same time halfway around the world._

“Abiou,” a baritone voice called out quietly.

Amethyst eyes turned to look at their crimson counterparts.  “Yes, Other Me?”

A light smile crossed Atem’s face.  “Are you done packing?  Our flight leaves soon and you know how much I _hate_ making Kaiba wait.”

“Other Me,” Yugi chastised lightly.  “We both know you love to torment Kaiba.”

“Oh, I know, Abiou,” crimson eyes danced with amusement.  “But I promised I would _try_ to be nicer, and being late I was told, is not nice.”

Yugi laughed.

* * *

 

“The Pharaoh of Shadows?”  I asked, writing the title down.  “Does he have a name?”

Bob shrugged.  “Yes, but no one alive knows it.  It’s said that the Pharaoh used his own name in a powerful seal that bound a dark god that planned to destroy the world.  His final orders where for every reference of himself to be destroyed, so that the evil that was the dark god could never return to this world.”

“And he’s back.”

“Yup!”  Bob made a popping noise on the _p_.  I still don’t know how he does that without lips.

“So let me get this straight,” I rubbed a hand over my face.  “There is an Egyptian Mage running around Chicago stealing peoples souls, the White Council can’t do anything about it because they may be going against the Accords if they do, and a Pharaoh from thousands of years ago has returned, most likely with a dark god that wants to destroy the world.”

“Pretty much!”  Bob chirped.  “Now all you need is Godzilla and this would be movie worthy.  Do you have anything else you’d like to ask?  Or can I go back to sleep now?”

I gave Bob a dry look.  “You still haven’t told me how somebody can steal a soul.  And I want to know of any beings that can take human form but still have red eyes.”

Bob hummed to himself as he thought.  Giving me time to think over what he just told me. 

There was an Egyptian Mage running around Chicago, and from the sounds of it, one didn’t have to be born in Egypt to be considered one of its mages.  It was a bloodline, or bloodlines.  The magik passed from generation to generation.  So I really couldn’t know who it was that was the mage.  Only that they had appeared in town within the last week.

Horus’s red eyes flashed within my mind.  I frowned again trying to think.  What had it been Marcone said?  His kids were supposed to be in Minnesota?  And they were here for a tournament this weekend.  One where this Shadow Court would make an appearance.

Something niggled in the back of my mind.  There was a connection here, I just knew it.  If only I could figure it out.

I looked down at my notebook.  There was only one thing on the page.  The title of that Mage Pharaoh. 

Wait a moment.

Pharaoh of Shadows.  Shadow Court.  It couldn’t be a coincidence. 

There was one other thing Marcone’s kids had said.  What was it?  King of Games?  Yeah, that was right.

I turned to Bob again.  “This Pharaoh of Shadows wouldn’t happen to also be called the King of Games would he?”

“Well, yeah.”  Bob stated.  “He was an expert gambler, he never lost a game, its whispered in the darkest corners of the nevernever that he played a game with fate and won.  Why do you want to know?”

A grim smile slowly stretched across my mouth.  “Because, I’m pretty sure that the Pharaoh is going to make an appearance in Chicago this weekend.  Him and his Shadow Court.”

Bob had just opened his mouth to reply when I heard my landline ring upstairs.  Quickly I scrambled up the stepladder and lunged across my living room for the phone.  On the fifth ring I grabbed it.  “Hello?”

“Dresden,” Murphy’s voice came crackling through the line.

“Murphy,” I straightened up from my crouched position.  “What’s happened?”

It sounded like somebody else was talking to Murphy on the other side of the line for a minute.  Then she answered.  “There’s been another body.  How soon can you get to the Mart?”

I was already tugging on my leather duster.  “It will be about twenty, thirty minutes depending on traffic.”

“Make it fifth-teen,” there was a weariness to Murphy’s voice I hadn’t heard in a long time.

I hummed my confirmation and hung up.  Quickly I picked up my blasting rod, chalk, and the keys to the Blue Beetle.  As I rushed out the door I could hear Bob yelling from my lab.

“Harry!  Don’t you want to know what can take human form but still has red eyes?”

Over my shoulder I yelled back into my apartment.  “Tell me later!”

* * *

 

The Mart, as most Chicago citizens loving call the massive stone and concrete building that occupies two square city blocks in the River North neighborhood and encompasses four million square feet of floor space, was the cities center for wholesale showrooms in home décor and apparel.  When the Mart was not having expositions on how to fix up your house or condo, it was hosting bridal, charity, antique, art and handcraft events.  The Mart also housed a number of retail stores and a substantial food court for those consumers that wanted a mall like atmosphere as they shopped.

Luckily for me, the Mart had been built in the 1930’s and even though construction had been done on it to upgrade the electronic features, the art deco style and most of the interior had stayed the same.  I had little to worry about when it came to getting stuck in elevators or exploding the lighting, there where stairs to every floor of the Mart if you knew where to look.

I was met at the door by Detective Rudolph and his partner Detective Sergeant John Stallings.  Rudolph didn’t like me.  I’d escaped police custody while he was supposed to be watching me a little less than five months before.  I’d had a darn good reason to escape, and ended up saving his life in the process.  But, hey.  Whatever got him through the day.

Stallings gave me a nod in greeting and motioned for me to follow him.  We entered the Mart and headed straight for the elevator.  A glare from Rudolph told me that he was having none of my ‘take the stairs’ attitude today.  So I kept my mouth shut.  If we got stuck in the elevator it would be his fault. 

Not that really I wanted to spend the rest of my day stuck inside of an elevator with two police officers waiting to be rescued.  There were more important things I could be doing.  Such as hunting down a mage and finding out what Marcone’s kids where.

Micky Malone was waiting for us at the elevators.  Dressed in a pair of sweatpants and an old jean jacket I was surprised to see him. When SI and I went up against a loup-garou five months ago he’d got hamstrung and had to go through physical therapy.  He was supposed to still be on paid medical leave.  However, it seemed Murphy had called him in.

“Dresden,” Malone nodded to me.

I nodded back as the elevator door opened and we all stepped inside.  With a pang I noted Malone’s limp.  “What can you tell me?” I asked Malone, ignoring Rudolph’s glare boring into my back.

“One of the staff at Mike Bell was found by his coworkers after their lunch break.  From what we were told, lunch time is relatively slow on Thursdays.  So the staff usually all leaves to go have lunch together, except for one member.  They usually trade off who stays in the store on Thursdays.”  Malone trailed off.

“And with no one around as a witness, whoever is attacking these people could do whatever they wanted to the person who stayed behind.”  I said.

Malone nodded his head in agreement.  “Yeah, I feel sorry for the poor souls who had to find him.”

The elevator stopped and I looked up, nervous.  The little light on the panel showed that we were on the 18th floor of the Mart.  Nothing seemed to be broken in the machine, and I gave a silent sigh of relief when the doors opened up. 

There where men and women in police blue dotting the corridor.  Many of them turned to face the elevator as we stepped out, and I caught sight of the forensics team standing farther down the hall.  They all looked at me with a mixture of distaste and respect.  I had done things that they could never explain with their religion of science.  Most of them hated me.  However, some of the newer members of the team seemed to be withholding judgment until a later date.  I was completely fine with that.

Mike Bell was two hallways down from the elevators.  As I looked inside the doors I had a sinking feeling that if anything happened while I was in the store, it was going to take a big chunk out of the little I had saved up to pay for the damages.  Mike Bell, it seemed, was a showroom filled with antiques from the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries.  Mixed in to these antiques from around the world where detailed reproductions from various countries and design periods. 

As we walked through the showroom I saw a few items I loved on sight.  It’s a little know fact that I decorate in textures instead of colors.  But I knew that I could never afford anything from this showroom.

Standing in the center of the room was Lieutenant Karrin Murphy.  Chicago’s head of the Special Investigations unit, the CPD’s answer to all things supernatural.  Murphy was a small thing, five foot two at the most, with golden hair and blue eyes.  But don’t let that fool you.  She has more trophies for akido then I have fingers on one hand. 

In full police regalia Murphy looked alike an avenging angel standing guard.  Her blue eyes turned to me the moment I was in her sight.  Sticking her eyes to my mouth Murphy started talking.  “He was found by his coworkers shortly after they returned from lunch.  They thought he was sleeping, so they left him alone for a while.  It wasn’t until an hour ago that one of them tried to wake him up and realized he was dead.”

I felt ice run through my veins as I turned to look at the body.  This was the first victim to die, and if I hadn’t known what I was looking for I would have written it off as a simple heart attack. 

The piece of paper sitting on the marble side table next to him was the first clue.  Written in Demotic was the same phrase every other victim had near them.  I still didn’t know what it said, but I would be sure to ask Bob when I returned home.  The second clue was the dark taint of what I now knew was mage magik clinging to the body.

On the only other victim I had seen before the magik had faded so much that I couldn’t get a reading on it.  I only knew that it was dark, and different than anything I had ever felt before.   Now the magik seemed to scream out at me.  Twining through my own and asking for me to play.

My magik flared slightly, darkening the room as the lights flickered.  The mage magik retreated, yet, I could still hear it calling out to me faintly.  I didn’t know what it wanted me to do.  But I knew I was going to refuse its advances as hard as I could.

Murphy’s gaze turned worried as the lights continued to flicker.  “Harry,” she called out.  “What’s going on?”

I tore my gaze away from the body.  “The mage that took this guys soul, his magik is still on the body.  And it’s interested in me.”

“Mage?”  Murphy asked, ketching the difference in terminology.  “A wizard did this?”

I shook my head.  “No, not a wizard.  A mage.  Their two different groups of magikal humans.  Mages have an affinity to specific elements, and from what I’ve been told, can only use spells that revolve around those elements.  Wizards on the other hand use magik in any of its forms.”

Murphy’s mouth twisted into a frown as she tucked that information away for later.  “So a mage did this.”  She looked over the body reclined in a Diego Chair.  “Do you know how he’s doing this?”

I glanced at the body again, noting the ginger hair and tanned skin. 

“No.  My source didn’t tell me much, and he didn’t get to the part about how souls can be stolen before you called me about the body.”

“What can you tell me then?”

“This is an Egyptian Mage.”  I glanced over the officers surrounding us.  “The magik follows a bloodline, so the mage that did this–” I motioned to the body.  “–doesn’t have to be Egyptian.  The mage could have pale skin and blond hair for all we know.  What matters is the fact that they are descended from someone who was Egyptian and was a mage.”

Rudolph snorted at my answer, but I ignored him and continued.  “Egyptian mages are the cream of the crop when it comes to Mage Culture.  Their basically royalty, and it’s said that they where gifted their power from the gods.  Whatever their magik is, it nearly destroyed the world thousands of years ago.”

Murphy stood straighter as those words left my mouth.  I focused directly on her as I continued.  “These mages, Egyptian mages, only have to follow the laws put in place by somebody known as the Pharaoh of Shadows, the most powerful mage to have ever walked the earth.  He supposedly sacrificed himself to stop the destruction of the world by the hands of a dark god.”  I made sure that my voice showed just how serious I was as I said this last part.  “And to make matters worse, this Pharaoh of Shadows will be in Chicago this weekend for some tournament.  Meaning we will have not one mage to deal with, but at least two.”

Murphy’s blues eyes bored into me as Malone started talking.  “I thought you said this Pharaoh sacrificed himself to stop a god?  How is he still alive?”

I scowled.  “I don’t know.  My source said that he was back, and that the people losing their souls are only the beginning.  We don’t even have a name for this Pharaoh.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Murphy stated.  “Dresden, I want you to look around and tell me what you see.  We can discuss this Pharaoh and mages later.”

I wanted to disagree, this Pharaoh was important.  But I shoved the urgent feeling into a corner of my being and walked closer to the body.

As I had seen earlier, the victim had been male with ginger hair and tanned skin.  He was wearing a black suit and seemed to be resting peacefully.  Not like the other victims had been, with looks of terror marring their faces.

Walking around the area I noticed something colorful out of the corner of my eyes.  There, on the carpet under the black oriental cabinet covered in carvings of branches was a card of some kind.  Taking a piece of fabric out of the pocket of my leather duster I picked the card up.  At the top of the card was the words _Souls of the Forgotten_ , which went quite well with the image displayed below it.  A purple and pink mass with yellow orbs like eyes and gapping black mouths.

I felt a shudder run down my spine as I read the sentence below the image.  _Fiend.  A wicked spirit created by the hateful souls of those who fell in battle.  It grows by assimilating the souls of its enemies._

The mage’s magik lay thick upon the card.  And I wondered what the mage could have used this card for.  Surely the mage couldn’t have used it to summon wicked spirits.  But as I looked over at the body once again, I didn’t dismiss the thought.  Marcone’s kids said that the Pharaoh would be at some tournament this weekend.  This card may have something to do with that tournament.  Now all I had to do was find out what.

“Murphy,” I called out softly.  “I found something.”  I flipped the card around to face her and the other officers near me.   “It reeks of the mage’s magik, but I have no clue what it is.  I think it might have something to do with the tournament this weekend.”

Malone walked over to me, limp visible with every step he took.   Peering closely at the card he frowned.

“What is it?”  Murphy asked Malone.

Malone shook his head.  “It’s a Duel Monster card.”

I blinked.  “A what?”

“Duel Monsters,” Malone repeated.  “It’s a trading card game that’s big in my grandkids friend group.  Its international really, the games said to be a recreation of a game played in Ancient Egypt thousands of years ago.  The duelists, the people playing against each other, are wizards summoning monsters to battle against each other.”

Malone smiled grimly at me.  “The Duel Monsters World Tournament is being held in Chicago this weekend.  All the best duelist in the world will be here for it.  My grandkids want to go see the King of Games protect his title.”  Malone nodded his head at the card.  “However, if you’re saying somebody actually used magik to bring the monster out of that card.  I don’t think I’m going to let my grandkids anywhere near the tournament this weekend.”

“The mage who is doing this is here for the tournament,” Murphy mused.  “There’s going to be thousands of people flooding the city for this tournament, not to mention those that are here already.”

“The mage could be in the tournament himself,” Malone stated. 

Bringing everyone’s attention to something we didn’t want to think about.  We now had hundreds, if not thousands of suspects.  Anyone could be the killer.  And the worst part was that we couldn’t pull every duelist into questioning simply because they played a trading card game.

Red eyes flashed through my mind again and I groaned.  Of course.  Marcone’s kids were tied into this somehow.  They were here for the tournament, most likely to compete.  If I could get something to hold over Marcone’s kids I could force them to help me find the killer.  However, that was a very big if.

“What did you realize, Harry?”  Murphy asked me sharply.

I looked up from the card.  “Marcone’s kids are connected to this somehow.”

Murphy’s blue eyes widened.  “Marcone has kids?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really don’t know what happened, one minute I was on track asking Bob about souls being stolen. The next I’ve defined what a Mage is and how they are different from Wizards. I just didn’t expect to reveal that little tidbit so soon. 
> 
> I’m not very good at writing sassy, sarcastic, emotional wizards (or wind spirits by the way). So if Dresden seems a little off. That’s why. 
> 
> This story happens between the second and third book in the Dresden Files. It’s set in late May, five months before Grave Peril, and six months after Fool Moon. We will have the full Yu-Gi-Oh cast next chapter, well those that duel that is. 
> 
> On another note, does anyone know where I can find a good English to Ancient Egyptian translator? I’d like to have the phonetic versions of Ancient Egyptian when people are speaking that language. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and please tell me what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

Atem turned his attention away from the shadows whispering in his ear to focus on Yugi.  His shorter lover was pleased that they were finally landing.  After thirteen hours in the air Atem had to agree with the young shadow mage.  No one, not even Yugi, had the patience required to deal with one Marik Ishtar and the Thief King Bakura in cramped quarters for so long.

Yugi had grown taller in the last seventeen years since the ceremonial duel.  He was still the shortest of the shadow court.  But instead of the small five foot he had been for most of his teenage years Yugi was now five foot six, with Ryou only two inches taller. 

The two lights were pleased that they where taller, and it took everything Atem and Bakura had to not comment on the fact that they were still the shortest.

Much had happened in the years since that fateful day in Egypt.  Such as Atem’s return to the world of the living, an event he took much pleasure in.  After all, it wasn’t everyday that a spirit you saw pass-on duels in a Kaiba run tournament and makes it to the finals.  Beating every person that got in his way and kicking one Seto Kaiba’s ass in the process.  At the time the only thing that had been on Atem’s mind was seeing Yugi again.  Becoming known to the world as Atem Sennen, long lost friend of Yugi Moto was merely a bonus.

Sometimes Atem looked back on that time with wicked amusement.  He hadn’t expected what had greeted him beyond the door.  Yet, he could not be happier then he was now that it had not been the afterlife that greeted him, but the shadow realm.  He had learned things about himself that would make most people go insane, things that made returning to the mortal realm and creating the shadow court so much easier.

Atem had never planned on leaving Yugi alone for long.  He had stated once that it was Yugi’s life to live, and that was true.  However, Yugi and Atem where bound together on a much deeper level then most beings could understand.  Yugi was the light to Atem’s darkness, in more ways than one.

Life had been the same, and yet difficult, for a time.  In the end however it had all been worth it.

Atem was the Pharaoh of Shadows, and he ruled over the shadow mages and the shadow realm with the help of his court.  Yugi was his equal.  Lover.  Second in command.  The leader of the court.  Followed closely by Ryou, Yugi’s second in command and the only person who could control Bakura.

Everyone else fell in line after Ryou.  Bakura.  Marik Ishtar.  Isis Ishtar.  Seto Kaiba.  They where his court, and no one.  No one.  Could defy them and live, they where the enforcers of his law.

As the plane touched down Atem’s thoughts turned to the last two members of his court.  They hadn’t been there when he had crossed through the door.  Atem had expected them to be waiting for him, but instead he had learned the cost of the spell he had used five thousand years before.  They wouldn’t remember him.  Not as they lived a mortal life.  One that would not take effect until the puzzle had finally been pieced back together.

They could be anywhere in the world.  Look like anyone.  And Atem would never know. 

“Other me.”  Yugi’s voice drew Atem from his thoughts.

Crimson eyes blinked as Atem focused on his lover.  “Yes, abiou?”

An amused smile passed between Yugi and Ryou at his reaction.  “We’ve landed.  Kaiba-kun is waiting for us.  I thought you didn’t want to be late?”  Innocence shown in amethyst eyes as Yugi said that last bit.

Too bad for Yugi.  Atem had spent three years listening to Yugi’s thoughts as a spirit and even longer living with him.  He could see that mischief hidden behind the innocence in Yugi’s eyes.  Atem’s light was laughing at him.

Atem didn’t rise to the bait.  Instead a smirk curled across his face.  “You are quite right, abiou.  I did say I would _try_ to be nicer.”

Bakura could be heard from further in the plane laughing.  The thief enjoyed tormenting Seto just as much as the Pharaoh did.  It had almost become a game between the two elder mages to see how far they could push Seto. 

Atem’s smirk grew as he remembered the last time he had dueled Seto.  It seemed Bakura did as well, because his smirk matched Atem’s as he walked over to Ryou.

“Well, what are we waiting for?”  Bakura asked gruffly.  “Let’s go ruffle the priest’s feathers.”

Ryou closed his eyes and prayed for patience.

* * *

 

The Drake was a large building settled on the northern end of the Magnificent Mile. Opened in 1919 The Drake was the United State’s first urban resort featuring a myriad of ball rooms, world renowned restaurants, and luxury rooms. 

Entering this titan of grandeur and high society could take anyone’s breath away.  Two flights of stairs brought the Shadow Court into the Drake’s main lobby.  A blue carpet covered the floor with golden leaf accents.  Two large chandeliers lit up the space from a paneled wood ceiling as Atem looked around the lobby at the business executives and members of high society that stared at the court.

Amusement flashed through Atem as he stared down a particularly snobbish old woman.  It never failed to amuse him how mortals viewed each other.  Whether it was five thousand years ago in Khemet or now in the modern world those with wealth, better education, and social standing looked down on those they deemed different. His spiky tricolored hair and leather outfit put him low in the standards of many.  Something that only added to Atem’s amusement.

He was older than any human on earth.  Let those who thought themselves better than him and his court live their lives.  They would die long before Atem learned to care about their thoughts.

Humming to himself, Atem lead his lover toward The Drake’s main desk.  The court fanned out behind the two, joined by Joey and Mai.  Atem nodded to the two duelists, acknowledging them as he stepped up to the counter.

Seto Kaiba stood like a waiting storm cloud to Atem’s right.  The CEO’s blue eyes were as cold as chipped ice.  It was a look Atem remembered from Khemet.  Seto wasn’t pleased with the receptionist.

On Seto’s other side Mokuba softly sighed before smiling over at the court.  “Hey guys.”

“Mokuba,” Yugi greeted the younger man.  “How are your students doing?”

“They’re doing well; we just got to Ancient Egypt in history.”  Mokuba’s smile grew.  “They were quite upset when they learned I’d be here for the tournament instead of teaching them.”

Joey snorted lightly.  “It must be so hard on ya students.  Ya travel what?  Three–four times a year to referee Duel Monsters Tournaments?”

“It’s five times,” Mokuba replied still grinning.

“So what angered the Priest?”  Bakura questioned the younger Kaiba.  “I haven’t seen him this mad since that upstart tried to defeat the Priest with his own Blue Eyes.”

Mokuba’s grin vanished.  He looked between the receptionist and his elder brother before turning back to the court.  “The Executive suite my brother reserved is already taken.”

Atem felt one of his eyebrows creep toward his hairline.  That was unexpected.  It was obvious that whoever had taken the suite held more sway and power in Chicago.  However, there were very few people in the world who could match Seto Kaiba in such a way.  None of which lived in the mid-west portion of the United States.

“I’m sorry sir,” the receptionist finally found her voice.  “But I will not kick them out of that suite.”

The temperature seemed to drop as Kaiba turned an even darker glare on the receptionist.  “I have the monetary power to have this place shut down.  Do you really want to chance it?”

Atem was impressed when the receptionist merely raised an eyebrow at the CEO and jutted out her chin.  She was loyal, that much Atem could tell at a first glance.  The fact that she wasn’t a blubbering mess at Seto’s glare meant that she was used to working in dangerous–high stress situations.

“I will not kick them out,” the receptionist repeated, glaring right back at Seto.  “They have gone through too much shit and that suite is their only sanctuary.  Try to get the Drake shut down, I _dare_ you.”  The receptionist’s hazel eyes blazed against Seto’s ice blue.

Atem was left wondering who ‘they’ where as Seto and the receptionist exchanged glares.

Seto looked away first.  Scowl still in place the CEO of Kaiba Corps. shook his head.  “You’re loyal.”

The receptionist didn’t say anything.

“Give me a suite that is just as nice as the one I reserved,” Seto ordered, once again pinning the receptionist with his gaze.  “And I might not have this hotel shut down.”

The receptionist’s glare intensified.  Atem thought he was about to see a smack down of disproportional size.  The very first time one Seto Kaiba would be one upped outside of the dueling circuit.  Instead the receptionist huffed and looked at the computer monitor in front of her.

Silence engulfed the group.  Only the rhythmic click clack of keys dared to break the silence.

After a few minutes the receptionist looked back up at Seto.  Her eyes still held that burning fire as she said.  “There are two suites that match the one you had reserved.”  Her voice was cold.  “One is on the same floor as the rest of your parties rooms.  The other is two floors down.”

Seto sneered at the receptionist.  “Give me the one that’s not on the same floor as these clowns.”

Atem sensed more then saw Joey bristle at Seto’s words.  However, Yugi intervened before things could turn to the worst.  The light placed a hand on Joey’s arm.  The duelist looked down at his best friend and sighed.  Shrugging off Yugi’s hand Joey stepped away.

Joey had meant no disrespect in the action.  So Atem let him be, it wasn’t like Joey would do anything to harm his light.  No.  Joey had kept Yugi safe when Atem couldn’t be there to protect his light himself.

Shaking his head lightly Atem let those memories slip away.  This was neither the time nor the place to think of such things.  Not if what the Shadows kept whispering was true.  Crimson eyes washed over the Shadow Court before resting on the receptionist again. 

It was then that he sensed it.

The receptionist had been shadow touched.  She couldn’t use the shadows herself.  Yet, she didn’t need to.  She was important to a shadow mage, important enough that the shadows took to protecting her.

A smirk slowly curled Atem’s mouth.  No wonder she was so loyal. 

He would have to have her watched.  A shadow mage was causing disturbances in the Shadow Realm.  Anyone that the shadows clung to was suspect. 

Hopefully he could end this before an innocent was killed.

* * *

 

Marcone’s Kids where as slippery as oiled eels.

I’d been tailing them since they crossed my path shortly after lunch.  Yet, I continued to lose them.  Be it in a crowd, behind a moving vehicle, and once even in the middle of an empty alleyway.  Confusion still bubbled in my stomach at that memory.  I hadn’t sensed any magik form the alley way.  However, it was the only way they could have disappeared that quickly.

It had taken all of my magikal and non-magikal skill to pick up on the kids trail after that escape.  And I even went so far as to collect Bob to help me.  It took some time, but I finally found them again.

Now I was stalking through Millennium Park.  Staff in hand and a talking skull dangling in a mesh bag from my belt.

Tourists and Chicago natives alike stared at me as I walked past.  Some of the city’s newest arrivals didn’t even blink twice at me outfit though.  A single glance was enough for them before they returned to previous discussions.  These people, I noticed, all had decks of brown-black backed cards strapped to belt or in hand.

_Duelists._   My mind supplied, urging me to stop, to question these people.

But I didn’t.  It was Marcone’s kids I was after.  They were the ones who could give me the answers I needed.

I could see them now, walking swiftly through the park. Civilians moved out of their way subconsciously.  As if they knew that the three teenagers where dangerous, or I could simply be reading too much into things.

I doubted it.

Horus was in the middle of their trio this time.  He was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and what looked like a silk button up. 

To his right was Set, dressed nearly identical to his brother, only the color of their shirts where different.  Horus in red, Set in blue. Set had his hair up in a ponytail leaving his dangling gold earrings on full display.

The two boys looked over at their sister as she tripped.  Her richly patterned maxi dress was a wash of peach, coral, read, and blue as it shifted around her legs. In an ungraceful movement she was able to save herself from kissing the ground.   

After having watched her walk around in it all day I had to admit that it complimented her skin tone.  If there was one thing I learned from dating Susan, it was when to recognize someone of the opposite sex in something that looked good on them.

A rich laugh was carried my way on the wind, bringing me out of thought of supple skin and beautiful eyes.  It seemed that they were having fun.  Visiting old haunts and seeing what’s changed since they had last been in Chicago. 

I grit my teeth as their father’s face flashed through my mind.  Marcone might have lowered the death toll in the city, but he was still dealing drugs and ruling Chicago’s underworld with an iron fist.  His children were set to take his place as crime lords.  It was the logical explanation; after all, why else had he hidden the fact he had children?

The kids moved toward Laurie Garden and I picked up speed.  There where fifteen foot hedges around two sides of the garden.  If they passed through the hedges before I caught up with them there was a chance they would pull that vanishing act again.

Bolting down the path I ignored the cries of surprise and alarm my sudden movements caused.  People moved out of my way, but I still was to slow.  Horus, Set, and Meilia entered the hedge and moved out of view.

I pushed myself faster, wheezing I silently swore.  _Need to work out more, Harry._   I thought to myself as I ran through the hedge and impacted with someone.

* * *

Thud!

Atem whirled around as pain and surprise passed through the link.  There, quickly picking himself up, was a man dressed in a leather duster, jeans, and Wild West t-shirt.  In one of his hands was a wooden staff, and dangling from his belt was a…skull.

Crimson eyes narrowed at the man before glancing down at Yugi.  _Abiou.  Are you alright?_   Atem asked through the mind link.

_I’m fine, Other Me._   Yugi soothed down the link.  _Though I don’t think the guy who ran into me is._

That brought Atem’s attention back to the man before him.  The man was scanning his surroundings with a paranoia that reminded Atem of Bakura after he pranked Malik.  As if the man sensed Atem’s weighty gaze he turned to look at the pharaoh.

The shadows hissed a warning just before Atem’s eyes were going to connect with that of the man.  Jerking his gaze away Atem finally noticed the way the shadows swirled around the man.  Not quite touching, but probing.  The shadows never got closer than a set margin, as if they were pushed away by another force, something that only made them more interested in the man.

_Are the shadows…playing?_   Yugi sent down the link, having seen the same thing.

Atem smirked at Yugi’s description.  _It would seem so._

“Excuse me,” the man shifted into a defensive stance.  “You wouldn’t happen to see three teenagers pass through here would you?”

“Three teenagers?”  Atem tilted his head to the side slightly.

The man nodded.  “Yes.  Two boys and a girl.”

“We’ve seen a lot of teenagers out here,” Yugi said as he stood up and moved closer to Atem.  “Can you tell us what they looked like?”

The man frowned, and Atem couldn’t help but think it made the man more dangerous.  “The girl has short black hair.  One side is cut shorter than the other, she was wearing a long dress and has pale skin.  One of the boys has white hair and brown eyes, and he is wearing golden earrings.  And finally the other boy, well.  He looks like you.”

Crimson eyes blinked.  “Excuse me?”  Atem could not help but ask.

An affirmative noise left the man’s lips.  “Yes.  Dark complexion.  Sharp features.  Spiky multicolored hair.  Crimson eyes.”  The man’s gaze slid to Yugi before turning back to Atem.  “Though, his hair is more like your brothers then yours.”

The Pharaoh of Shadows tensed at that statement.  Brothers.  He and Aibou were not brothers.  However, the descriptions of these children stopped Atem from giving the man a tongue lashing.  He had not seen the children pass through the hedge, yet there was no way for them to make it look like they had gone through and yet not.

Not without magik.

And if they had used magik…did that mean the man standing before them was a threat?  After all, this was White Council territory.  If the shadow games that had been played had been found out, it would be disastrous.  Especially with the Shadow Court being so young.

Another thought turned Atem’s blood to ice.  Was this man a warden?

“We haven’t seen them.”  Yugi stated having heard Atem’s thoughts.  “If we do though, we’ll let you know, Mr?”

The man scowled and glanced around the garden again for his prey.  Without really meaning to–or Atem thought, because of the Hikari charm–the man/warden/wizard gave them his name.  His true name.  “Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden.”

Atem burned the name into his memory.  At the very least he would tell Seto to look the man up.  If he was a wizard, well, Atem would deal with that when the time came.

The man–Dresden–drew Atem out of his thoughts as he held out a card for Atem to take.  “Here’s my card.  If you see them give me a call.  They’re witnesses to a crime that are being fickle.  The police haven’t been able to get them to talk, so their letting me try.”

Yugi’s pale hand took the card and look down at it.  Looking up again Yugi gave a bright smile.  “If we do, we will call you.”

Dresden nodded before stalking down one of the rows of flowers.  A scowl still on the man’s face.  The two rulers of the Shadow Court stared after him in silence. Once he was gone Atem finally looked down at the card.

It had a number on it, most likely for an office.  But that wasn’t what made Atem’s breath ketch in his throat.  It was the title on the card.

HARRY DRESDEN–WIZARD

Lost Items Found.  Paranormal Investigations.

Consulting.  Advice.  Reasonable Rates.

No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or

Other Entertainment.

The wizard was already long gone, Atem knew that, but he could not stop himself from sending out his shadows to make sure.  Dresden was a member of the White Council.  An open practitioner of magik.  Here in Chicago.  With the entirety of the Shadow Court and somebody throwing around Shadow Games as if they where candy.  This was not good.

One of Atem’s hands clenched into a fist.  Crimson eyes turned to look at the nearest shadow.  “Alert the Court,” he ordered.  “We are having an emergency meeting in my suite thirty minutes from now.”

The shadows rushed to do his command.

“Other Me,” Yugi said softly.

Atem hummed lightly, turning to look at his lover.  “Yes, Aibou?”

Serious amethyst eyes held crimson as Yugi asked seriously.  “What Shadow Games?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve finally created a real background story for Horus and Set, a portion of it will be explained in this story. However, I will be writing a prequel to this story that will exist in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Section, as it has nothing to do with the Dresden files. I am willing to wait until this story is finished to start writing it however. I don’t want to have too many multi-chapter stories going on at once. Two is more than enough. Especially with the classes I am taking this semester. 
> 
> On that note, it may take some time between postings. The next two chapters I have planned out, I just need to flesh out the actual writing. I hope you enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This would have been out sooner but my computer got a windows update that would not let me have access to the internet. That is the final straw and I am in the process of moving to a Mac. It just had to happen during the middle of the school week too! Sigh. I did the Scottish thing and wrote Microsoft a strongly worded letter, but enough about my computer troubles.
> 
> Do you know how hard it is to find a deck list for Seto Kaiba? I’ve spent days looking for one, and Yugi/Yami have so many! I could never find a complete version of Seto’s deck so I have created my own from the research I have done. Every card has been in at least one of Seto’s decks.
> 
> Also! This is the first duel I have ever written. Please tell me what you think of the duel and how I can make the duels better throughout this story. I would love the feedback.  
> Finally, before you read the new chapter I just want to say that I have only one more chapter planned out for this story. I have the climax and ending of the story planned, but nothing after chapter five is plotted out. Ideas would be great, I will think about some twists and intrigue for the chapters to come. I just haven’t gotten that far. Thanks, Equus.

The next morning bloomed a wash of color. Peaches and violets decorated the eastern sky, draping the bedroom in a pale pink. The bedrooms inhabitants slept peacefully in a tangle of limbs and sheets.

Sooty black eyelashes fluttered open to reveal amethyst eyes as one Yugi Moto awakened. Still in that peaceful half-asleep state Yugi snuggled closer to the man beneath him. With a sigh of pleasure he listened to his lovers heart beat steadily. A solid _ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump_ that many had tried to stop but nothing could.

_Nothing feels better than this_. Yugi hazily thought, watching the light change color on the room’s walls.

It was just so peaceful, lying in bed in the early morning light. No new shadow mage that needs to be trained and registered. No Seto or Bakura barging into their room because of an argument. No emergency demanding his attention. It was…perfect.

Yugi’s eyebrows furrowed together as his thoughts circled around. No emergency demanding his attention. Emergency…Yugi’s eyes snapped open and he sat up abruptly.

Phrases from last night’s court meeting ran through his head, along with worry about the new threat. The court could do nothing at this point in time. There were too many people in the city, and more and more shadow mages where cropping up every day. Even now sixteen years since Atem’s return those with shadow magik where awakening their gifts.

It was then Yugi remembered the wizard that had run into him yesterday. Harry Dresden. The wizard had been, maybe even still was looking for three teenagers. Seto had said that he would have information on the wizard for the court this morning, and that they could go over it before the first round of the tournament later that day.

But Yugi was more interested in the three teenagers Dresden had described.

_“The girl has short black hair. One side is cut shorter than the other, and she has pale skin. One of the boys has white hair and brown eyes, and he is wearing golden earrings. And finally the other boy, well. He looks like you. Dark complexion. Sharp features. Spiky multicolored hair. Crimson eyes.”_

The description of the white haired boy with brown eyes reminded Yugi of Ryou. His fellow Hikari had begun to wear golden earrings after Bakura had proven that they were not stolen, and that the thief king had actually paid for them.

What Atem told Yugi later was that Bakura had made them himself.

Bakura had secretly been a jewelry maker back in Ancient Egypt.   The earrings he’d given to Ryou had been one of his final creations before he was sealed away inside the ring. They were supposed to go to a noble woman, but it was obvious that had never happened. Besides, Bakura was far happier that his jewelry adorned his Hikari, and not the people who had laughed and smiled at hearing of his village’s demise.

Ryou and Bakura had confirmed that they had been nowhere near the park. So it couldn’t have been either of them Dresden had been chasing. No female shadow mage Yugi knew fit the girl’s description. Then there was the other boy.

Yugi’s eyebrows scrunched together as he thought about the description. Dresden had obviously not been looking for them. Even though he had stated one of his targets looked eerily like them, Dresden hadn’t really questioned them.

It was strange. Yugi was sure he and Atem would have heard if there was somebody that looked like them. Being the top two duelists in the world and leaders of the Shadow Court had some perks after all. Yet, there had been nothing. The third boy of this mysterious trio looked like Atem, and he was a teenager. So he was roughly sixteen years old.

An image from when Atem had gained his own body surfaced in Yugi’s mind. Young. Strong. Regal. With vibrant crimson eyes and a thing for leather. Was this what the boy looked like? Would he have the same interests as Atem? As Yugi?

It was questions like these that whirled through Yugi’s head. He wanted answers. However, more importantly, he wanted to meet these kids. If the boys did look like Ryou and Atem…Yugi didn’t know what he would do.

Yet, as Yugi heard a sharp set of knocks coming from the front door of the suit he came to a decision. Dresden wasn’t getting his hands on the kids. Even if they looked nothing like Ryou and Atem, Yugi wouldn’t let the wizard have them.

No one deserved to be trialed by the White Council. No one.

* * *

The first round of the DMWT was in full swing when Seto finally got his turn. Yugi, Atem, Joey, Mai, and Marik had all won their duels already. Leaving Seto, Ryou, Bakura and Isis waiting for their first round duels to begin.

There had been a lull in the dueling after Marik had ended his duel against Vivian Wong. The actress turned duelist had quite a bit of audacity, and had claimed that if she won the duel Marik had to marry her. That hadn’t gone over to well, and within five minutes Marik won the duel. Leaving Miss Wong without a husband, and more importantly, without a chance at the title of World Champion.

Seto had been restless as he watched the duels unfold.   He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going to happen. And that blasted White Council Wizard had something to do with it.

When Atem had called the Court together on such short notice Seto had been far from pleased. However, after he had heard what the Pharaoh had to say? Seto had been both intrigued and pissed. Though, intrigue won out in the end.

Perusing through the Chicago PD’s database and calling in his contacts on the matter? That had only increased Seto’s interest in the wizard.

After all, it wasn’t often in this day and age that magikals openly practiced their craft. More so, it wasn’t often that a magikal had the reputation and record that Harry Dresden had. Multiple arrests. Mysterious deaths. Demons. A Loup-garou five months pervious. Oh, and he had a fairy godmother that wanted to turn him into a canine.

Why wouldn’t he be interested in the wizard? The old saying was _know thy enemy_ after all. Seto may not be the ruler of the Shadow Court, but he was the reincarnation of Atem’s high priest. He made it a point to always be in the know. And only in the deepest corner of his mind would Seto admit he preferred the position of high priest to pharaoh.

Shaking his head quickly Seto turned his attention back to his surroundings. Throngs of duelists walked about the West building of McCormik Place Convention Center. And more duel enthusiasts watched on in awe. It was times like this that made Seto glad he was the CEO of Kaiba Corp. He had the best security team in the world.

A streak of black hair caught his attention, drawing Seto’s gaze to his younger brother. Mokuba was standing on the stage set up in the center of the room. He could see every duel that was in process from his spot. At the moment Mokuba was focused on the final duel of this set.

From what Seto had seen, it would be over in the next few seconds, allowing the next set of duelists their chance at moving farther in the tournament. As if the gods had agreed with Seto the duel ended. It was only as Mokuba stated the name of the winner that Seto actually focused on the duelists.

Sharp blue eyes watched as the receptionist from the day pervious stepped down from the platform. She looked different in torn blue jeans, combat boots, and a black long-sleeved shirt. Far more dangerous for that matter. As if this was who she really was, and being a receptionist at the Drake was only a mask.

A scowl spread across Seto’s face as the receptionist vanished into the crowds. Filing away the little analysis for further study, Seto walked to the dueling platform his brother stated his duel would finally take place on.

Stepping onto the platform Seto received his second surprise of the day. If he hadn’t known that he had left Bakura and Ryou with the rest of the Court, Seto would have made a note to hunt down the organizer that pitted him against one of the two so early in the competition.

Instead, Seto studied his opponent. The kid could be no one else but one of the three teenagers Dresden had been hunting. And Seto would put money that if one of the three was here, then the other two were close by.

When Yugi had stated that one of the teenagers had white hair and brown eyes the thought that the kid would look like a teenage mix of Bakura and Ryou had never crossed Seto’s mind.

From what he could see, the kid was wearing snug blue jeans and a black t-shirt. On the shirt where white letters that read _failure is always an option._ A shirt Seto found appropriate for somebody facing a member of the Court to wear. Golden earrings glittered from the teens ears, but it had nothing on the cold mischief glittering in honey-brown eyes.

“What has you so amused, brat?” The words were out of his mouth before Seto had fully formed the thought.

A wicked smile began to play along the teens lips. Much to Seto’s chagrin it made the kid look more like Bakura then Ryou. The former-high priest felt his fingers twitch at the sight. He wanted to rip that smile off of the kids face.

“I was just enjoying your reaction.” The kid said. “Whenever I show up at Dueling Tournaments, which isn’t often, that’s the reaction I get. I thought the court would have known about me by now.” The kid shrugged. “Oh, well. It doesn’t matter now.”

A smirk began to flit across Seto’s mouth. “Is that so? Well, then I’ll just have to teach you a lesson in manners then. Now won’t I?”

Honey-brown eyes laughed at him from across the platform. “Perhaps. My name is Set by the way.”

“No last name?” Seto was already compiling a list of servers and contacts he would search through from more information on the kid–Set. It didn’t really matter if Set gave him a last name or not. He would find out what it was, along with just where this kid had been hiding for the last sixteen years.

Smirk still in place Set collected his shuffled deck and waited for the duel to start. He wasn’t telling the man his family name. Truth be told, he wasn’t going to tell the man anything about himself. He had simply been so shocked to have been paired up with _thee_ _Seto Kaiba_ that all his thoughts went out the window.

Set knew he would be regretting half the stuff he said during this duel later on. However, the awe and shock that he was going up against Seto Kaiba hadn’t worn off yet. So Set really didn’t care.

“You may begin!” Mokuba shouted, his sight set on his brother’s match.

“Duel!” Kaiba and Set shouted.

 

**Kaiba** : LP 4000

**Set** : LP 4000

 

Set quickly drew five cards.

Glancing over his hand Set grabbed two cards. “I summon _The 13 th Grave_ (1200/900) to the field, and play one face down card. I end my turn.”

In a flash of light a skeleton appeared on the field holding a rusty sword. What might have once been a blue tunic adorning the skeletons body.

Kaiba sneered at the monster before him. This was the extent of his opponent’s deck? Dreadful. Glancing down at his own hand Kaiba had to work hard to stop himself from smirking. _Lord of Dragons_ , _Flute of Summoning Dragon_ , and one _Blue Eyes White Dragon_ where all in his hand. It was an almost perfect first hand.

Blue eyes glanced across the playing field toward Kaiba’s opponent. Now, to lure the kid into a false sense to security.

“I play _Judge Man_ (2200/1500) in attack mode, and two cards face down.” Kaiba crossed his arms as a large stocky figure appeared on the field. Holding a war hammer in hand Judge Man looked like his namesake. Set was suddenly reminded of a fairy he had trapped many years ago to end a feud. He really should look into what happened after the fairy agreed to his demands. “I end my turn.”

Honey-brown eyes flicker from Kaiba’s monster on the field to Kaiba himself. “Draw.” Set scowled at his hand. What was Kaiba playing at? He had better cards in his hand then _Judge Man_ , Set knew he did. _Well the only way to find out is to attack,_ Set thought darkly.

“I play _Swordstalker_ (2000/1600) in attack mode, and equip him with _Lightning Blade_.” (2000/1600) - > (2800/1600) A large grinning being appeared on the field, dark purple and holding a large white sword Swordstalker stood at attention.

“Now _Swordstalker_ , attack _Judge Man_.” Set ordered. The warrior class monster stalked toward Judge Man. Raising his sword to slice Judge Man the audience watched as lightning suddenly started to dance across the blade. In one swift strike Judge Man was destroyed, shattering into thousands of pieces and disappearing from the field.

 

**Kaiba** : LP 4000 -> LP 2700

**Set** : LP 4000

 

“I end my turn.” Set masked his unease behind a smirk. That was too easy.

Kaiba smirked in return. It was almost too easy. Cracking his neck Kaiba grabbed a card. “Draw. I play _Lord of Dragons_ (1200/1100)!” Said monster clad in bone armor appeared. “And then I play _Flute of Summoning Dragon_!” A great burst of light illuminated the area and two of the metallic-looking _Blue Eyes White Dragons_ (3000/2500) appeared. The Blue Eyes roared before moving to flank Kaiba.

Set swallowed. Maybe being paired up with Seto Kaiba in the first round of the Duel Monsters World Tournament wasn’t such a good idea.

“ _Blue Eyes White Dragon_.” Kaiba commanded. “Attack _The 13 th Grave_!”

Honey-brown eyes closed to protect themselves from the burst of white lightning that engulfed _The 13 th Gave_. When the light cleared Set glared across the arena at Kaiba. He was down to one monster on the field; well Kaiba had two _Blue Eyes_ , _Lord of Dragons_ , and one face down card. This was not good.

 

**Kaiba** : LP 2700

**Set** : LP 4000 -> LP 1900

 

“I’ll get you back for that,” Set growled, eyeing the Blue Eyes.

Kaiba’s smirk was out in full force. “I’d like to see that. However, you’ll have to wait for another tournament, because you’re about to be disqualified.”

* * *

“The priest is really getting into the duel,” Bakura said eyeing the duel between Kaiba and Ryou’s look-a-like. The brat had to be one of the three teens the wizard had been looking for; Bakura could all but see the shadows leaking off the brat’s form. And where there was one brat, there would be more. A scowl settled upon the thief’s features. There were too many Shadow Mages in the tournament for him to get a read on the brat’s companion’s location. He’d have to wait for them to show themselves.

“I know,” Marik stated. “You don’t think it’s because the kid looks like you and Ryou, do you?”

It was a possibility. After all, Bakura had made it his life’s mission to torment, trick, and tease Seth’s reincarnation. And, Bakura had to admit, the brat did look like him. _Though he looks more like Ryou,_ Bakura thought glancing at his lover.

Ryou stood beside Yugi, dressed in jeans, a charcoal sweater vest, and a white dress shirt. The two Hikari were absorbed in Kaiba’s duel.

“It’s going to take a miracle for the brat to win,” Bakura murmured.

“Not quite,” the Pharaoh’s baritone rumbled.

Bakura and Marik turned slightly to view Atem. The Pharaoh of Shadows walked up to them, purple and inky black mist curling around his feet. Brown-red eyes narrowed at the Pharaoh. “What do you mean?”

Atem raised an eyebrow at Bakura’s question. “You of all people, Thief, should know the power in the heart of the cards.” Crimson eyes settled on the boy dueling Seto. He did indeed look like Ryou and Bakura. It made Atem wonder where the other two young shadow mages were, and who they looked like. “As long as the boy believes in the heart of the cards he has a chance to win.”

* * *

**Kaiba** : LP 2700 _Lord of Dragons_ (1200/1100, _Blue Eyes White Dragon_ (3000/2500), _Blue Eyes White Dragon_ (3000/2500), one face down card.

**Set** : LP 1900 _Swordstalker_ (2800/1600)

 

Kaiba flipped his face down card. “I play _Ancient Rules_! I Special Summon my third _Blue Eyes White Dragon_!” The third Blue Eyes roared as it appeared on the field next to its counterparts. “I end my turn,” Kaiba stated.

Set gritted his teeth as he went to draw his next card. A sharp breath escaped his lips as Set’s hand froze above his deck. _What if I don’t get a card that can help me? I’d be letting Horus and Meilia down. We promised to get to the semi-finals together!_ Set felt as if his deck was moving away from him, a greater and greater distance, until it was unreachable. Scarred fingers shook as Set began to feel the pressure. It was too much!

“Set! You have been in worse situations then this! Remember DeMeo! You have to believe in the Heart of the Cards!” A strong calm voice shouted. The crowd silenced as the speakers words filled the air and people began to look for the one who shouted.

A spark ignited in honey-brown eyes as the words sunk in. He could do it, Set could pull this off. Chuckles drew Set’s attention across the arena. “What are you laughing at?” Set growled out.

“How pathetic,” Kaiba sneered. “This isn’t the kiddy games, if you can’t survive the pressure of a duel with a member of the elite you’re not worthy of dueling in this tournament. The fact that you need a cheerleader just goes to show you’re pitiful.”

Set narrowed his eyes. “First of all, _priest_. That’s my brother you’re calling a cheerleader. And second. He has never steered me wrong before. Draw!” Set grabbed the top card on his deck.   His heart did a funny flip at the sight of the magic card that greeted him. _Black Hole_ , just the card he needed.

Honey-brown eyes flicked from the new card to the rest of his hand and finally across the field to Kaiba’s three Blue Eyes White Dragons. This could work, Set knew it could. He just had to time it perfectly. Taking a big breath Set closed his eyes, _I believe in the heart of the cards. Cards, please don’t lead me wrong._

“First I place one card face down on the field,” Set eyes glittered like that of a predator. “Then I play _Card Destruction_!” Kaiba grimaced as he discarded his hand and drew five new cards. “Next I’ll play my face down card _Black Hole_.” The three Blue Eyes gave a final roar as they were pulled into the whirling vortex that appeared in the center of the arena. Lord of Dragons grimaced as he followed the dragons he had summoned. Set’s Swordstalker went willingly into the vortex with a nod of acceptance. “And I’ll end this duel by playing _Monster Reborn_ from my hand!”

Kaiba’s blue eyes widened as he realized the implications of that card. “No.”

“Yes,” Set’s grin was wicked. “Return _Blue Eyes White Dragon_ and attack the player directly!” In a flash of light one Blue Eyes White Dragon made it’s reappearance on the field. The great Blue Eyes opened its jaw to reveal a building electrical ball, in seconds it fired the burst of electricity across the field. Kaiba didn’t even have time to react as he was enveloped in a burst of bright light.

           

**Kaiba** : LP 0

**Set** : LP 1900

 

Silence filled the convention center as the duel ended. It was deafening. No one moved, not even the other duelists that happened to be in the middle of their own duels. Seto Kaiba had just been defeated in the very first round of the World Tournament. One of the court, the elite, had been taken out by a nobody in the very first round. It was unprecedented. Unheard of.

A relieved sigh left Set’s lips. It was finally over. Collecting his cards quickly Set jumped down from the dueling platform. He didn’t like the attention he was getting. It made him feel like he was prey and Set Marcone wasn’t prey. He was a top tier predator. Truth was all Set wanted to do was return to Horus and Meilia’s side.

And he did just that. Under the intense gazes of the dueling community Set headed toward where he thought Horus had shouted from. Set pretended nothing was wrong, like the icy, rage filled glare Kaiba was boring into his back didn’t matter. He’d be lying if he said it didn’t.  

Seto Kiaba was one of Set’s biggest hero’s, well, anti-hero. He had looked up to the CEO since he had first learned of the young businessman. Set had wanted to be just like him when he grew up. That all changed when the first assassination attempt failed and Horus had been hospitalized. Set still wanted to be like Kaiba, but he wanted to be able to protect his family too. And the only way to do that when your family included an international crime lord was to learn to play the game.

A flash of red tipped hair caught Set’s attention and he headed for it. Slowly a grin started to spread across his face as Set caught sight of Meilia bouncing around in excitement. The events of the last few minutes where finally settling in. He had done it. He had defeated Seto Kaiba. Laughing Set was ready for Meilia as she leaped at him in her excitement.

* * *

Yugi couldn’t help the shocked laughter that escaped him. Seto had lost a duel in the first round! What was even more surprising was the fact that it was to a fellow shadow mage. Seto made sure to show his superiority as a master of the shadows every chance he got. He wanted to make it absolutely clear that he was the one in a position of power, and he deserved the respect that came with it.

Amethyst eyes followed Set’s escape through the crowd. He had to be one of the three teenagers Dresden had been looking for the day before. The boy–Set, Yugi reminded himself, burning the name into his memory–moved with a grace Yugi had only seen in shadow mages that where completely confident in their power. Prompting questions to flood Yugi’s mind. How did the young shadow mage learn to control his powers? Who had hidden Set from the Shadow Court? And most importantly of all, where the other two teenagers Dresden had been looking for shadow mages too?

The soothing presence that was Atem appeared behind Yugi. Unconsciously Yugi leaned back against Atem’s chest as the Shadow Court watched Set seek out his companions. _Did you see it, Other Me?_ Yugi asked Atem. _Seto’s Blue Eyes listened to him. I’ve never seen them willingly serve another mage before._

_I saw it_. Yugi could feel his lover’s interest spike at the reminder. _The Blue Eyes are strong willed at the best of times. It is rare they–_ Atem didn’t finish the thought.

The young shadow mage had just been jumped by a pale skinned girl wearing a black romper and leather gladiator styled wedge sandals. A dark skinned teenager stood slightly off to the side, an amused grin dancing across his face. Set placed the girl on the ground and embraced the dark skinned teen in his excitement. Shadows danced around the three teens, reacting to their strong emotions.

Dresden’s words flitted through the link as Atem went over them. _The girl has short black hair, pale skin. One of the boys has white hair and brown eyes. And the other boy looks like you. Dark complexion. Sharp features. Spiky multicolored hair. Crimson eyes._ These where the children Dresden had been looking for, these shadow mages where being hunted by a wizard of the white council.

The dark skinned teen was wearing a untucked black dress-shirt with the sleeves rolled up past the elbows, and snug white jeans. Releasing Set from their embrace Yugi caught sight of silver bangles glinting from a dark wrist.   He looked so much like Atem had when they were younger.

_Abiou_ , the thought was quietly spoken. _He has your hair_.

Amethyst eyes blinked once as Yugi noted that, yes, the dark skinned boy did have his hair. _He’s a mix of the two of us, huh? Yet, he has more traits from you. Is there something you want to tell me, Atem?_ Yugi thought amusedly.

Startled amusement rolled through the link. _Abiou, you know my love is only for you._

_And your ten wives._

_And my ten wives_ , Atem amended chuckling, _but they are dead, settled in the valley of Reeds with their families._ “There is something else going on here.” The Pharaoh stated out loud.

“I agree,” Bakura and Marik appeared next to the two royals. They’re eyes where settled on the three teenagers who seemed to be ignoring everything around them and simply celebrating the win. “The girl looks like no one I know.” Marik stated.

Bakura nodded his head. “I agree. However, I’m more interested in the brat that defeated the priest.”

A snort left Marik. “Of course you are. You just want to know how he pulled that off, and where he’s been hiding these fifteen-sixteen years.” Turning to face the rest of the court Marik’s lavender eyes were serious. “We’re going to invite them to dinner with us tonight, right? We need to know why the White Council is interested in them.”

Brown-red eyes glittered at Marik’s statement but they didn’t leave the three shadow mages enjoying Set’s victory. Suddenly they widened. “Shit!” Bakura swore taking off at a run toward Set and the other two teens. It took a few seconds for Yugi to see what had made the thief’s over protectiveness appear. A shiny flash of cool metal shifted in a member of the crowds hands. Subconsciously Yugi noted it was a hand-gun. And it was aimed at the three young shadow mages.

Bang! Bang!

* * *

I felt a jolt of pain run through me, causing me to drop the vial I had been examining into the potion that was halfway completed. My eyes widened in horror as the potion began to bubble and froth unexpectedly. That wasn’t supposed to happen!

Thinking quickly I came to the conclusion that the vial of purple black mist I had been holding wasn’t one of the potions ingredients. I might have been making a potion to seek out Marcone’s kids and was going to use the vial of mist as a focus. But it shouldn’t have gone into the potion so soon.

Bob’s panicked voice cut through the my jumbled thoughts. “Harry! The two magic’s are reacting to each other! Put up a barrier, it’s going to explode!”

“Empty Night,” I muttered quickly erecting a magic circle around myself. Pushing magic into the circle, it sealed just in time for a wall of darkness to wash out of the potion in a wave. The darkness hit the barrier with a hiss, twisting and withering against the magic holding it in place. Flashes of purple light interplayed with the darkness and I couldn’t help but get the distinct feeling of being cornered prey.

“Bob!” I shouted hoping the skull had survived. “What is that?!”

“It’s the shadows, Harry!” Bob’s voice echoed back from the darkness. “You opened a veil directly to the Shadow Realm! All we can do is wait until the veil weakens or something comes through and closes it.”

I wasn’t really sure if I like that answer. After all, I had no idea what this shadow realm was, a portion of the nevernever I assumed. And anything that lived in the nevernever definitely shouldn’t enter the physical plain. Definitely not in my lab.

“How can we stop it?” I asked.

Bob’s voice echoed back to me once again. “That’s just it Harry. You can’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are looking for a Yugioh story that has great duels then you should look at the Yugioh! Dresden Files crossover called Dedication Through Light and Darkness by lalunaticscribe. It is on fanfiction and AO3.


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